(Closed) VENT: what should I do?

This is going to be SUPER long, im sorry! Also, I apologize in advance for all the grammatical errors (I’m on my phone typing this). So, I have 1 semester left until graduation so I did my internship this summer. I just came home last weekend got a text about halfway back that I left my laptop there! ( drive time was about 24 hours so its not like I could just turn around and get it). No panic, please just send it to me ASAP. I asked a different intern than the one who texted me to send it because she was local and frankly, more mature. She agreed and said she would get it the next day and have it shipped back.

Next day, I heard nothing from either girl. I didn’t text or call because I didn’t want to be naggy and I knew they were probably just too busy to get to it. So Sunday, when I still hadn’t even gotten a message asking for my address to send it, I started getting annoyed. Its now been 3 days and I NEED that for grad projects, etc. etc. but I thought I was just being panicky so I send a really nice text, something along the lines of “hey so I REALLY need my computer ASAP for school stuff that’s due this week could one of y’all please send it to me tomorrow?”

original girl texts back “planned on it.” Okayyyy cool thanks for letting me know. So I say “well do you need my address?” What do I get back? “Yep.” Now I’m getting pissed, but ok she’s sending it. Although a nicer text back would have been appreciated it, I told myself she’s probably busy and the other girl probably just didn’t get around to texting me back, even though I know that’s not the case at all. But it’s getting sent back, no worries right?

wrong again. Yesterday morning, 4 days after they were originally supposed to send it, I got a call from the volunteer director who is also somewhat of dada moly friend. “Welll, Itern X says you forgot your computer. What should we do? We can send it back if you reimburse us.” So, at this point I’m just over it an want my laptop back. Duh, send it to me. Fine, I’ll reimburse you the $10 even though I did about 300 hours of free labor for you in a month. Whatever. Now THEY WON’T CALL ME BACK!! I haven’t gotten a text, email, phone call, or anything since yesterday morning. Maybe I’m freaking out, but I feel I have a right too. Am I wrong?

my sister says to just tell my dad and have him handle it since he’s fabulous at these things, but I don’t want to burn a bridge with this company either. They LOVED me working for them an told me if I needed a recommendation I would surely get a glowing one from them. I need every connection can get! So how do I get this handled without burning this professional bridge and pissing everyone off?

@CarolinaPeach13: If I were you, I would make some kind of arrangements to pick up the laptop in person. It’s obviously not a priority to them to send it back to you on any kind of rushed schedule, it’s only important to you. If you can’t pick it up yourself do you know anyone near there who could pick it up for you? If it were me, I’d leave Dad out of it, though.

I’d pre-pay for the shipping via UPS or FedEx, signature delivery is always better with a laptop. You can email them the prepaid shipping label and all they have to do is print it out and tape it to whatever box they have laying around, and hand it to the UPS/FedEx guy on his regular visits or call them arrange a pickup. This way, you make it absolutely easy and fool-proof for them, there’s no question about your address or how to arrange the reimbursement, and the task goes from “find her address, figure out the best/most affordable way to ship it, get a box, take it to the UPS Store, figure out how to get the shipping money back” down to “shove it in a box and give it to the UPS guy.” Much more likely to be done completely, accurately and in a timely fashion than if you rely on others to do all that for you. Since you forgot it, you should pay for the shipping– it’d be nice if they paid for the shipping as a favor, but it’s not what I would expect nor get upset over. You’re frustrated because people are not responding to this in the same way you would, so you have to take control of the situation as much as you can.

@Sunfire: thanks for the advice, but unfortunately they are in Texas and I am in Pennsylvania so I have no way of picking it up on person :/ since it is so far away, I dot really know anyone else who lives there

@CarolinaPeach13: you have to remember, they’re doing you a favor. Your laptop is your responsibility, not theirs, so it’s probably pretty low on the priority list. The fact that you thought you didn’t even need to reimburse them for shipping comes off as unappreciative. Your internship isn’t just free labor, you’re gaining experience and referrences in your industry. I think if you try to approach your colleauges with a little more appreciation (i.e. send the shipping money and a thank you/gift card) you might get a better response. Best of luck.

I would certainly not get your dad to deal with it, that’s not very mature. I’d suck it up and make the drive, OR coordinate the delivery yourself through UPS or FedEx. Just because you worked for free, doesn’t mean they owe you anything, unfortunately.

I’d phone a higher up, let them know you’ve coordinated for UPS/ FedEx to get the laptop and you’d appreciate if someone could package it up and hand it off. Looks better on you to do it yourself, rather than rely on others, who are clearly not very helpful.

@fishbone: thank you for the tip! My issue isn’t that they’re asking me to pay shipping, but more at the lack of communication from the company. It’s very small and family like, and I got very close to them so I’m a bit frustrated that when I do get ahold of them I get “we know how much you must need it for school, we’ll send it ASAP,” but then inhear nothing for days. While I understand their busy schedule, it seend very unprofessional and immature to me. Then again, they are young college interns.

I guess you’re right that I am a bit frustrated that they aren’t handling it how I’d like, but I don’t mean at all to seem like “my way or the highway.” I was simply a bit surprised that something so important as a laptop would be handled as if it was an article of clothing that I forgot. A terrible analogy, but I hope it gets my point across!

@housebee: I don’t think I’m being unappreciative, and I even said a few days go when she asked that I’d be happy to reimburse them. Yes, I was a bit miffed since I worked 12-14 hour days outside in the heat, and gladly did it and learned lots. I’d prefer this doesn’t turn into a debate about the reimbursement as that was just a side note/detail. I’ve been nothin but kind and professional on ally interactions with them. I’ve also thanked them many times over for the experience, so I don’t agree that I’m unappreciative of their efforts at all

@CarolinaPeach13: These interns are obviously useless but @housebee: is right, they are doing YOU a favor because YOU forgot your computer. And I’m going to assume YOU didn’t back-up all this super important info on your laptop before YOU travelled with it otherwise this wouldn’t be such a huge problem.

Hire a courier, find someone you know in the area or go back and get it yourself. Leave your dad out of this, you are a big girl! And yes, you should definitely have to pay the shipping, overnighting something that big could get very expensive!

@KC-2722: I agree it’s not very mature, which is why I’ve been tryin to keep him out of it. Unfortunately, I still live with them and have no income so all of my spending power comes from them (I have amazing parents!). I realize this makes me seem incredibly immature!